A Girl and Her Scrapper
by VaultBoyWonder
Summary: Akane always hated being a high-society ghoul. Always attending auctions and dinners with Gourmet ghouls in her father's place. That was, until she found someone who made her feel like she wasn't an aristocrat, but like a normal ghoul. And he only costed her 120,000 yen (Blood, gore, and all the goodness of Tokyo Ghoul, I own nothing.)
1. Chapter 1

_So I've loved Tokyo Ghoul for a while, but I never got around to writing anything for it. Maybe this will suck, maybe it wont. Let me know how I did._

' _Why am I here? They never have anyone good to sell, and the good ones are bought up by the richer ones.'_

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Auction begin!"

It was boring, seeing each human get auctioned off. A lot of men and women were just bought to eat, and even more were bought as slaves. All were either women or children. Even with their masks, it wasn't hard to tell their plans with the depraved twinkle in their eyes. After all, humans are one of three things to a Ghoul: a slave, a meal, or a Scrapper.

I was about to fall asleep out of boredom when I heard the entire crows hiss. I look up and see something peculiar on stage: a teenage boy, entirely bound in chains. His dark red hair was a disheveled mess, and he looked as if he'd never slept a night in his life. A metal mouth restraint covered his mouth, making him look more like a vicious dog than a human The High Class would sell.

"Our final item, a seventeen year old human. Fit and angry enough to be one hell of a fighter. Bid starts at 100,000 yen."

' _Why would they sell him that cheap? Probably the same reason he's wearing that muzzle.'_

"120,000!" I called, raising my sign to show my bid.

"120,000 yen, going once. Going twice! Sold, to the young lady with the Sparrow mask." The auctioneer called, gesturing to me with his gavel.

I felt a tad uneasy when they brought him to me. The look in his eyes was that of a madman, or a wild animal that was backed into a corner. Maybe those green eyes were why no one else placed a bid. They could inspire fear in humans and ghouls alike.

Due to his violent nature, workers from the Auction had to ship him to my address in order to keep him from running away or tearing me apart. Of course, I had no issue with that, though I did have my doubts of a human being able to kill any ghoul, let alone a S-Class like myself. Until I noticed that some of the Ghoul Shippers were regenerating their fingers.

When I got home, I noticed that the truck from the Auction was parked out front. I went in and saw the human, still chained, masked, and glaring. The men who unloaded him tipped their hats and walked out in a hurry, warning me to be careful as they left.

"Pathetic, aren't they?" He asked, his voice a raspy monotone.

"So you can talk? Here I thought they just ripped out your vocal cords or something?"

He chuckled. "Believe me, they tried. Why do you think they put this thing on my face?"

I slowly unraveled the human and took off his mask. His lips were surrounded by blood, blood that smelled of someone else.

"About time, miss. Those chains were murder on my arms. Anyway, what should I call you?" he groaned, stretching his arms.

"I'd prefer Akane. What should I call you, other than a pain in the ass?"

"Hmmm...I feel like my real name would be boring, How about...Arata? Nice ring to it, right?" He suggested.

"I suppose so. Anyway, Arata, it's late. Your room is upstairs. Run, and I'll kill you." I threatened, unleashing my Ukaku to prove my point.

"Understood, Akane. Besides, where could I go? I don't have any friends or family in Japan." he sarcastically remarked as he went upstairs.

"Maybe his mouth is why the bid was so low." I muttered as I went up to my room.

(Arata's POV)

"Why is she so nice? She doesn't act like...him…" I muttered, closing the bedroom door behind me. "She just wants to get in my head, just like he got into hers."

There's no way I'd ever tell her, but I heard voices. Specifically, my mother's. She'd scream and wail, begging for help. Then there was a sickening splatter, one that I remember all too well. They said I'd be cheap because of it, because of the voices and my lack of "training."

"I won't let her get to me. Mom, I won't let her do to me what he did to you...to us." I whimpered in the dark as I fell asleep on the floor."


	2. Chapter 2

_Gonna try to keep these little beginning things short. Took a review's suggestion. Hope it's better, if not, lemme know. Enjoy. I own nothing but my OC's._

I woke up to a somewhat foreign scent. I recalled the last time I smelled it from a Ghoul Restaurant in the 12th Ward, when a scrawny human was boiled to make tea. Then my eyes snapped open in realization. ' _Arata!'_ I rushed to put on my robe and  
bolted down to the kitchen where the smell came from, and stared in shock at what I saw.

"Good Morning, Akane-Sama. I made you breakfast." He offered, pouring the tea into a ceramic cup next to the meal on the table. On the plate was leftovers from my last visit to the ghoul-run coffee house Anteiku, when I decided to stop going to Ghoul  
Restaurants and Dismantling Shows so often. The way he prepared them, the meat looked as if it had been freshly prepared.

"Thank you, Arata." I thanked, admittedly awkwardly, as I sat at the table.

(Arata's POV)

I don't know why I watched her eat. Maybe I wanted to see if she liked how I prepared the food. Based on how I found the flesh wrapped in paper, it wasn't exactly fresh. What I did prepare was the tea. Even if the main ingredient was added on accident,  
I was still proud to have made it.

"Arata, what is this tea? It's...amazing." She asked, her eyes still black and red as she drank.

"You see, I accidentally cut my hand preparing the meat. I had an idea, and…" I explained, hoping she would get the idea.

"I see. Clever, Arata. Certainly clever." She complimented, finishing her cup.

"If I may say so, I think you're kagune is beautiful." I complimented as I washed the dishes. While she did scare me, the Ukaku she possessed was, for the lack of a better word, graceful. It resembled a wing, colored to look like a bloody night sky.

"T-Thanks. Your eyes aren't too bad either" She responded, her pale face turning a faded red.

(Akane's POV)

We went outto get Arata new clothes, seeing as he didn't have anything other than his black jeans and white t-shirt. I made sure he showered beforehand, as he still had blood and dirt coating his skin. Once he was cleaned, his skin was actually  
pale, and his black rings were natural.

"So, what do you think of this?" Arata asked, nonchalantly posing in dark blue jeans with a black tank top. Red marks from the chains were faintly visible, as well as a large scar on his left bicep.

"Not bad. I think a jacket or something would tie it all together." I replied, leaving only to grab a black hooded jacket. "Try this on."

I smiled when he came back out of the changing room. With his neutral expression and casual stance, he reminded me of someone I met in the 4th Ward a while ago. He looked, in his own way, intimidating.

The entire walk back to the house was silent. It wasn't until Arata shut the door behind me that he said something.

"So, what's the deal?" He asked impatiently.

"Excuse me?"

"What game are you playing with me? Why are you being so nice to me? Why are you trying to get in my head?"

"What the hell are you talking about? If this is about the clothes, I just don't want you to look homeless!" I yelled.

"This isn't about the clothes. I'm talking about how you bought me, and haven't eaten me or forced me to fight or something. What game are you playing, Akane!?"

I felt a ball of rage in my chest. "Maybe I just felt bad, asshole! Not every ghoul is a ravenous sociopath, y'know!"

"My mother thought the same thing, and she was eaten! How do you think I know about the goddamn Dismantling Shows and Ghoul Restaurants? I had to _watch_ one, where my mother was slaughtered in front of hundreds of cheering Ghouls. And you know  
what happened next? I was put in fucking shackles and put in a dirty warehouse, waiting to be sold at the goddamn auction! I'm just thankful it was me that got sold. If it was her…"

Arata fell to the floor, trying to choke back his sobs. My rage festered into a corrosive regret. I felt horrible, just watching the younger boy weep in silence.

"I'm sorry. I-I just don't know what to think...about a Ghoul showing kindness without having some ulterior motive." he stuttered, standing up and recovering from his meltdown.

"It's fine. Just because there are some Ghouls that aren't violent sociopaths doesn't mean that were all non-violent. After all, monsters like Big Madam and The Nutcracker exist."

"Why aren't you like them? I mean, why aren't you cruel like the others? Anyone else would've eaten me or sent me out to fight. Why haven't you?"

'"I don't care much for Dismantling Shows. I'll go to the Restaurant if I need flesh, but I only stay for Dismantling Shows when Father has me do it. Besides, even if you were only 120,000 yen, that's still quite a bit of cash. Not gonna risk losing monry  
like that over a show."

The rest of the night was quiet, as we didn't say a word to one another. That was, until an idea came to mind.

"Arata, we're getting up early tomorrow. I'm taking you with me to get something done."


	3. Chapter 3

_It's been a little bit, but I finally got around to uploading this. Enjoy. I own nothing but my OCs._

"Akane, how old are you?" I asked, too tired to think of the question as rude.

It was early, about 6 A.M., when I was making coffee for Akane. We were both tempted to simply go back to bed, but Akane said that we needed to be awake early for something she had planned, for something in the 4th Ward.

"Nineteen. What about you?" The noire-haired Ghoul asked.

"Eighteen." I replied, setting the ceramic cup on the table in front of her, "You know, you're pretty mature for your age. I wouldn't expect a nineteen year old girl to be so well off."

"Yeah, I guess I am. Being an only child with a dad like mine, you mature quickly." She explained nonchalantly.

"So what's so important in the 4th Ward that you needed to bring me?" I asked, somewhat nervous.

"Just getting a little something done, for both of us." She replied, leading me down through a door that led to a place labeled HySy ArtMask Studio. Inside were, not entirely surprising, masks of various styles on mannequin heads. They were all on stools, and some were covered by sheets. Curiously, I lifted one of the sheets, and jumped when I saw what was underneath.

"Boo." The man under the sheet said, before I dropped the sheet back. When he threw the sheet away, I got a good look at him. He was, if nothing, punkishly handsome. However, the first thing to catch my attention was his eyes. They were black, with red irises, like Akane's when her kagune was out. His didn't appear to be out, though. His dark grey tank top was under some black sweater, and his harem pants displayed what appeared to be a pentagram.

He sniffed the air and turned to Akane. "Ah, Akane. How can I help you today? And, more importantly, who's your friend?" He asked, his voice calm and smooth.

"I just need a modification. As for him, I got him from The Auction in The 14th Ward. Arata, Uta. Uta, Arata."

"So that Auction ring is still operating. Here I thought the Doves would've swept the place. Anyway, as for the modification, what would you like?"

She took the mask she wore at The Auction, a masquerade mask, painted to look like a sparrow's head, out of her bag and tossed it to Uta. "Just need it repainted. If I could, I'd do it myself. Another thing is, I thought about getting Arata a mask."

Uta and I both gave Akane a strange look.

"What? I don't want the CCG to find him, especially if I take him with me to a place with a high human-to-ghoul population. Besides, with The Doves running around..."

Uta sighed. "Alright, I'll do it. And today was such a blissfully slow day, too."

(Akane's POV)

Once I got my mask repainted, I sat back and watched Uta do his usual thing with Arata, measuring his head and asking personal questions. The questions were part of the reason I brought him, seeing as he probably wouldn't answer much if I asked.

"So, you dating anyone?" Uta asked, concentrating on the measuring tape around Arata's head.

"N-No, not really." Arata answered.

"Allergic to any material, like Latex or whatever?"

"No." He replied.

"I see. What's your favorite color?"

"Black and White are my favorite colors. If I may ask, why are you asking me these questions?"

"Normally, I'd tell you not to question my methods. But I can't help but like you. I design masks for humans and ghouls alike, and I don't do it by simple commission, usually. I prefer making a mask based on a customer's interests, or when they have some deep meaning. Take your mistress's mask, for example. Her mask is the color of her kagune, and the design is based on her family symbol, The Sparrow. What about you, though? What are you about?"

"Ramen and video games." He replied sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Uta and an annoyed growl from me.

"A Joker. Never thought I'd have one like you in here. If you were a Ghoul, you'd be perfect for the Clowns. But maybe...that's it!"

After jotting down what I could only assume were his measurements, he took the notepad into his proper studio and signaled that we were done.

"I'll contact you once I have the mask ready!" Uta called.


	4. Chapter 4

_So I got bored and went on with writing the story. If my memory didn't suck, I could probably work on my other stuff, but I'll focus on this for now. I own nothing but my OC's, enjoy._

"So, did you really think I'd need a mask? I don't plan on fighting with CCG Investigators." Arata asked, bringing the cold bottle of "red wine" out to the balcony.

"Yes. With the Binge Eater dead, the Doves'll be cracking down on Ghouls, and their servants. Don't think that 'No Killing Doves' mentality of yours won't change. Once you're in a fight with one, it's you or them. Just make sure it's them."

"Servant? About damn time I got a promotion. You'd think after about a month of service, I'd be more than a slave." He chuckled, pouring the liquid into my empty wine glass, "Are you sure you should be drinking, Akane? You're too young to-"

"Relax, genius. It's not really wine." I replied with a wink. It was a relief that he got over my...bizarre tastes. I knew that blood wouldn't keep me from starving, but it kept the feeling of being hungry in check.

He simply smiled. "Well, then, try not to spill any on the floor. It took me hours to mop up the 'wine' you spilled last time."

I smiled as he walked away, glad to see how he was finally warming up to me. It felt amazing to see him happy, even if he was technically my slave. He probably only acted happy to keep me from killing him or something, but it was a thought I constantly  
tried to block out. He actually felt more like a housemate than a slave.

(Arata's POV)

I didn't understand why she was so nice to me. She treated me as any caring human would, despite being a ghoul. Occasionally, I'd have to push the thought of her eating human flesh that I prepare out of my head. Otherwise, we had a pretty good relationship.  
However, the thought of being her slave still clung to me. ' _This is turning into Stockholm Syndrome, isn't it?'_

"Hey, Arata." Akane said, trying to get my attention. It felt awkward almost, after spending the whole day doing nothing but lounging in silence. I was almost asleep on her couch when she brought me back to consciousness.

"Yeah? Is something wrong?" I asked, the drowsiness lingering in my voice.

"Well, I've been thinking about something. How you've been happier lately. I just wanted to know...are you pretending for me? Do you still think I'll hurt you if you're not looking happy?"

I could feel the somberness in her tone. It must've really hurt her when she came to that conclusion.

"Well, I am happy, I guess. But...the thought of being your slave still gets to me. You don't treat me like one, but the idea still kinda clings to me. It's not much, but if you really wanna know, I'm not faking being happy."

"Well, what if I set you free? You're not my slave anymore, if you don't want to be. I just like having you around, you know. I like how you don't care much about my diet anymore. I just...I just don't want to be alone in this house anymore."

I had to look up and see to make sure my hearing wasn't deceiving me. Tears were rolling down her pale cheeks. I felt horrible, knowing that, in a way, I was both the cause and the cure to those tears. I got up and held her close, putting her head on  
my chest.

"Don't worry. I'll take up your offer on freedom, but I'm afraid I won't be moving out anytime soon. Looks like you're stuck with me." I said, hoping the joke would get some kind of laugh out of her.

"God, you're such an idiot." She giggled, pulling away still teary-eyed. "But...I'm glad you'll stay...because I'm not paying Uta to cancel your mask."

(Akane's POV)

I was woken up by my cell phone ringing. I lazily checked the Caller ID.

"Goddamnit, Uta." I mumbled before answering.

"Morning, Akane. Finally finished your boyfriend's mask." The ghoul's calm monotone said.

"He's not my boyfriend, Uta. He's just a friend." I retorted, thankful that he couldn't see me blushing.

"Just a friend? He was your slave about a month or so ago. What changed?"

"My mind. Now, when should we get the damn mask?"

"How soon can you get here?"

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous. I mean, he based it off of three questions he asked me. Seems kinda crazy." Arata commented as we entered the studio. Almost immediately, Uta popped up and greeted us.

"Ah, Akane. Pleasure seeing you. Care for a snack?" He gestured, pulling an eyeball from his pocket. Maybe he was expecting Arata to have some reaction to it, but he was, relatively, unfazed.

"Not now. You said you've finished Arata's mask. Let's see it."

Without a word, Uta guided us through the labyrinth of masked mannequin heads until he stopped at one with a sheet draped over it. He pulled it off, revealing Arata's mask on a mannequin. It was a cloth mask that covered all but the eyes. The rest was  
black, save for the unsettling smile that donned the mouth of the mask.

"I figured you'd want something intimidating. If you don't like it…"

Arata took a second to analyze the mask before grinning. "I love it, Uta."

"Thank you, Arata. I hope it serves you well." The Ghoul replied before unstrapping it from the mannequin and handing it to him. Immediately, he strapped it on and put his hood up, looking as if The Cheshire Cat crawled up from the depths of Hell.

"You look like a dork, but I like it." I teased, "So, Uta, What do I owe?"

"Oh, I charged it to the bill for your mask modification." Uta said. "By the way, remember that your mask isn't indestructible. Please don't come back in an hour with a torn up mask."

"I don't think I could if I tried." He joked.

(Arata's POV)

It was somewhat late when we left HySy. Thankfully, Uta and Akane's conversation about "Doves" didn't take the entire night. I followed Akane, thinking more about dinner than where I was going. Then I felt her put her hand on my chest to stop me as she  
sniffed the air.

"Arata, follow me. Don't make a sound." Akane warned as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me into an alley. "Why the fuck are they in the 4th Ward?"

"Who's in the 4th Ward?" I whispered.

"The Doves, genius. This place has a thin Ghoul population. They almost never sweep it. Must be because the Binge Eater died. They must be parading around, killing Ghouls out of pride." She hissed in disgust. "Just remember, it's us or them if they attack  
us."

Almost on cue, three men turned the corner. All three were in dark grey trench coats and carrying briefcases that seemed to shimmer under the street light they were standing under. They all looked relatively young, the oldest of them likely not being  
older than mid-thirties.

"Sweep the area. Ghouls prowl at this time here then any other time." One said, sternly scanning the dark alley. Quickly, Akane pulled me by another corner.

"Put on your mask. These guys will log you when they see you. Don't come out unless I call for you." She said, quickly putting her mask on and stepping out.

(Akane's POV)

' _This is a stupid idea.'_ I thought before The Doves spotted me.

"Sir, Ghoul Spotted!" One called, smiling eagerly.

"Then let's have some fun." Another answered.

Almost in unison, the three Doves opened their briefcases. Each man brought a weapon from their cases: A scythe, a sword, and a battle axe. I hid the chill that traveled down my spine.

"Disgusting CCG pigs." I growled, feeling my Ukaku break out. "Those don't belong to you."

"What pretty wings. They'll look great as my new quinque."

That last line was what made my last thread of self control snap. With little effort, I sent a shower of crystals to the trio. Fortunately, one was slow in his reaction time and caught most it, leaving blood and shreds of flesh scattered across the concrete.  
The second fell with a quick kick to the jaw, causing a satisfying sound hybrid of bone snapping and cracking as the dove fell lifelessly to the ground.

"Now for-" I panted, cut off by a sharp, excruciating pain in my chest. Somehow, the dove with the sword got behind me, and drove his weapon through my back. I fell face down when he pulled it out, and heard him cackle.

"Time's up, Sparrow!" He gloated, followed by the sound of metal smashing flesh and bone.

"Akane!" I heard Arata scream before being lifted. I felt him carry me in his arms.

"A-Arata...f-flesh…" I stuttered, still in monumental pain.

What happened next, I'm still not sure why it happened. Arata pulled his jacket off, revealing his bare bicep.

"Akane...eat me. Eat my flesh." He muttered, holding his arm close to my face.

Hesitantly, I bit into his arm and felt adrenaline course through me as I felt the blood hit my tongue. The pain numbed, but a different pain surfaced. I felt urged to keep eating. I was thankful that I could control myself enough to only take a small  
chunk of his flesh, and not his entire arm. Then I saw Arata's face, twisted into a pained expression.

"Akane...l-let's head home…"


	5. Chapter 5

_I have to say, I love how this story is coming along. Feel free to review and let me know if this story starts to suck. I own nothing, enjoy the new chapter._

I bolted upright in my bed, breathing frantically. I could only remember glimpses before I fell unconscious. The fight with the Doves, one wounding me, Arata killing one, and...Arata helping me.

"The one person that makes me happy, and I took a bite out of him...I'm disgusting…" I mumbled.

"I beg to differ." A voice teased, causing me to jump. Standing at the foot of my bed with two cups of coffee was Arata, "I wanted you to eat a bit of me. I'm no stranger to how Ghouls work. Eating flesh helps you heal and stay healthy, right?"

I tried to get up, but felt all of my energy leave me as I fell back to the mattress.

"You're still weak from your wound. I'll make a run to Anteiku, just don't hurt yourself." Arata said before rushing out the door.

I felt my chest tighten when I thought of him. How he saved me, how he single handedly killed the Dove that wounded me, how he cared enough to run all the way to Anteiku for me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the red-headed human out of my head.

' _What's happening to me?'_

(Arata's POV)

It wasn't hard to figure out where Anteiku was. After all, a "vegetarian" Ghoul environment could only be the neutrally populated 20th Ward. Sure enough, the cafe was there, and bust, from the looks of it. I knew who to seek out: Akane told me about the manager, Yoshimura.

"Welcome!" The staff greeted. I stopped an idle waitress, a purple-haired girl who kept an eye hidden in her hair.

"Excuse me, miss. Do you know where I can find a Mister Yoshimura?" I asked. Without a reply, the girl went into the back and brought out who I could only assume was Yoshimura, a kind old man with an even kinder smile.

"Can I help you, sir?" he asked, his smile unwavering.

"I need to get something for a friend. If I may, can I speak with you privately?"

With a nod, he guided me into the back, out of earshot of the guests.

"I need flesh, sir. My friend's wounded, and she desperately needs it." I requested.

"How severely?" He asked, walking to the large refrigerator, "She needs a good supply to heal from something severe."

"She was stabbed by a Dove." I explained, earning a grim look from Yoshimura.

"Then she'll need quite the supply. A Dove's weapon can do some serious damage to a Ghoul. Has she eaten at all since she was wounded?"

I showed him my upper arm, and the bandaged wound that Akane had left.

"Wow...you must be devoted to her. I've yet to see a human who'd be willing to give his flesh for a Ghoul. But, I'll give you enough to get her back on her feet." He remarked, putting packages of meat into a plastic bag.

"Well, when you don't have a lot in the world, you learn to be happy with what you have."

I walked out of Anteiku with the bag of flesh, hurrying to get home. ' _Knowing her, she'd probably try to find me.'_

(Akane's POV)

I was thankful that the sound of the front door opening and closing pulled me from my thoughts. Specifically, my thoughts about Arata. Every thought has went to him ever since I took that bite. I felt the desperate need to see him, to hear his voice. ' _I feel like I'm going insane.'_

"Akane, I'm home." Arata called. I could hear his footsteps as he rushed up the stairs. I could only laugh when he came in, and tripped over his own feet.

"You okay, Arata?" I asked.

"Nothing too bad. Maybe a bit of brain damage."

"Only you could get brain damage from a fall like that." I teased.

"Anyway, I ran by Anteiku, and grabbed some food for myself on the way back." He chuckled, putting two plastic bags on the table. One, based on the smell, contained quite a bit of flesh.

"Bon Appetit, Akane." He said with a smile as he pulled a bag of potato chips from the other plastic bag.

I could only watch him as I ate the packaged flesh. I've never experienced human food, but Father always said that it was bad for me and that I shouldn't ever try to eat it. Still, with how Arata was enjoying his, I couldn't help but wonder…

Quickly, I stole a chip from his hand and took a small bite of the brittle food. What followed was what one could only be described as Hell. The taste was disgusting enough to have me sprint to the bathroom and spit what little I got out.

"Akane! What the Hell were you thinking?" Arata yelled as I rinsed my mouth out, "You know what happens to Ghouls when they eat human food."

"I know...I just wanted to enjoy something you like." I explained.

Then he did something I didn't expect. Arata took a scrap of the flesh I'd eaten and bit into it. Immediately, he spit it out.

"I don't know what it tastes like to you, but I think it tastes bad. Like raw meat...wait…"

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Because it is, stupid." I giggled.

I couldn't get over how good he looked when he smiled. The way his dark green eyes lit up, how his little smile was enough to make me smile. Finally, I decided to do something stupid.

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him.

(Arata's POV)

"A-Akane…" I stuttered, too shocked to make any kind of decent response.

"I-I'm sorry...I shouldn't have-" She apologized, cut off when I kissed her.

"It's fine. I'm not gonna lie, it does feel strange to like a Ghoul the way I like you. But...I guess there's no one out there who can make me smile like you can."

I could tell by the look on her face that a part of her wanted to punch me, but I still felt a bit of pride when I saw her blush.

"I guess we're together now, huh?" She asked, the giddy giggle almost foreign in her voice.

"Yeah, I mean...if you wanna be…" I replied, still too flustered to say anything else.

She threw her arms around me and whispered in my ear.

"I'd love that."

Due to the awkward stance we had on the situation, we decided it'd still be better if we slept in our separate rooms. Having Akane as a girlfriend felt a tad strange, but it was a pleasant strangeness that I couldn't help but feel great about.

I had the same nightmare that I've had since my first night in the warehouse. I saw mom, wearing the same white dress she wore on the night of her death.

"Hey, Tenshi." She greeted, as casually as she would've in life. "Dating a Ghoul, huh? I'm glad you've found someone."

I nodded, unable to speak with the shock of her appearance choking me, keeping me from doing anything other than crying.

"Just remember, you're not betraying anyone by loving her. I love you, Tenshi. No matter that you choose to do, I'll always love and support you. Now, I must be going. Just remember to always look for the brighter side of your situations."

I woke up in tears. Not only from reliving the pain of losing Mom, but hearing the words she'd always tell me growing up. She was what kept me happy through the rough times. Then she was taken from me.

"I'll kill him...I'll kill the bastard that killed you, Mom." I muttered through the sobs.


	6. Chapter 6

_Here's another chapter. Sorry if this doesn't sound very enthusiastic, but I'm just rushing to get the chapters I wrote out before my Spring Break. Anyway, I own nothing but my OC's. Enjoy the chapter_

I was woken up by my cell phone's ringer. I was going to ignore it and finally sleep in, until I saw the name. I couldn't have answered it any faster than I did then.

"Akane, deary. Did I wake you?" A cheerfully deep voice bellowed through the speaker.

"Yes, Sir. Don't worry about it, though. Did you need something?"

"Yes, actually. You know the Restaurant in the 5th Ward? Well, I can't get out there for their Opening Show. Can you make it on my behalf?"

"Of course, sir. When do I need to be there?"

"Tonight, 19:00 Sharp."

I hung up to her Arata chuckling. He came in while putting on his old white t-shirt.

"Who are you calling sir? You already got a boyfriend you didn't tell me about?"

I shot him an annoyed scowl. "That was my Father, Jackass. He wants me to go to the restaurant in the 5th Ward. He's supposed to go, but he can't come out to Tokyo. I have to go on his behalf."

"So we're eating out tonight? Awesome. Don't think I can dress up, though." He joked.

"Idiot, it's a Ghoul Restaurant. Unless you want to be dinner, you're staying here."

Arata gritted his teeth. "The 5th Ward...alright, I'll stay. Just don't do anything stupid. I could've lost you once, and I don't want it to happen again."

"Relax. They don't serve Ghouls to the attendees." I reassured.

(Arata's POV)

I couldn't let Akane go alone. I heard about cannibal Ghouls, and I couldn't bare the thought of Karen possibly ending up on someone's plate. That night, I followed her to the Restaurant and stayed hidden across the street in a nearly abandoned convenience store. Aside from me and the clerk, there were only two people.

"I heard they were bringing one of their best out for tonight's show. I almost feel bad for the livestock." One said.

"Yeah, but it'll be fucking awesome to watch. I hear he got a new weapon for him. Knowing that crazy bastard, it'll probably be a chainsaw or something."

"Yeah. Maybe we can extend the show by bringing in new people."

I could feel them immediately snap their heads in my direction. ' _I'll kill them if they try anything'_ I thought. That was, until I felt them right behind me.

"Hey, buddy. Up for a bit of fun? We got a little place we can go, maybe get a bite to eat." One offered.

' _Maybe they don't know I heard them...dumbasses.'_

"I actually gotta get h-" I replied, cut off when the two men exposed their kagunes. One was a Rinkaku, the other, a Bikaku.

"Let me rephrase my offer," The Rinkaku Ghoul growled, "Come with us, or we'll simply kill you here. We win, either way."

"Fine. Where am I going with you two urchins?" I asked, more annoyed than scared.

"Just across the street. We gotta bring a human to get in without cash."

(Akane's POV)

If I'd forgotten why I hated Ghoul Restaurants, the one in the 5th Ward certainly was one hell of a reminder. Everyone wore their masks and only talked about the owner's prized scrapper. I have no problem with the morbid and macabre, but I have a limit. And hearing a Ghoul talk about wanting to fuck one of the corpses the scrapper had made was certainly passed that line.

"Not having a good time, Sparrow?" A clownish voice asked. I whipped around and saw a short man in a black suit, wearing a latex clown mask.

"Just a bit boring, Bozo. I grow weary of all this talk. When's the Dismantling Show?" I asked, eager to leave.

"In a few minutes. We're getting a couple more people ready for the show." The Clown cackled.

It felt like centuries before Bozo announced that the show was about to begin. I took my seat, unfortunately next to the clown, and looked out at the arena. The floor looked like it was solid concrete, and the walls were rust-brown with dried blood.

"Ladies and Gentleman, let's bring out our appetizer!" Bozo announced, gesturing for the first victim to be brought in.

There were times where I worried that I was desensitized to death. Every Time Bozo's scrapper killed another human, nothing about them would really faze me. Only because, every time, I could only imagine each victim as Arata. Then, when I saw the last person to be killed for everyone's amusement, I felt shock wrap it's hand around my neck and choke the last bit of air from my lungs.

"Look at this one, folks! He might just fight back. Wait a minute...We have a returning victim! Anyone who knows about our Auction knows this little shit! Ladies and Gentlemen, Tenshi Yukikari, the son of the best meal I've ever had!"

"Arata!" I managed to scream.


	7. Chapter 7

_I dunno if it's a little too soon to post an update, but I don't entirely care. Also, I'd like to say something. I couldn't care less if people started doing stuff with this or anything else I write. Just tell me you're gonna do it. Anyway, enjoy._

I could only stare when I saw Arata look at the large gate on the opposite side of the arena. The gate rose, only revealing a large, muscular albino man. Even from my seat above the arena, his red eyes made him look like a demon. In his hands was a large axe, the blade glimmering under the spotlights.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my best scrapper and Tenshi's mother's butcher, Yatsu!"

Arata looked as if he'd seen a ghost as Yatsu held his weapon high for all to see. He was looking at the very man who killed his mother before him.

"Arata, you have to kill him!" I screamed, causing Arata to look up just long enough for the pole of Yatsu's axe to smash into his chest and send him flying.

(Arata's POV)

I couldn't keep myself from choking out a sob when my back hit the cement wall. The pain throbbed throughout my torso as I weakly looked up and saw Yatsu marching towards me, a sadistic smile.

"Little Red. It's been a while, huh? About two months, if memory serves me right. How've you been holding up? 'Cause I've been great. Your mom's fingers still work as marvelous toothpicks. Unfortunately, my master got the rest of her."

"Y-You….You bastard…" I grunted, somewhat muffled by the pain.

"I'll enjoy killing you. Maybe I can keep more of your corpse than your bitch mother's."

That one line was all it took to send a volatile rage through me. That one line was all it took to numb the pain of what was probably a very serious injury. That one line was all it took to have me forget about my personal safety, and charge to face the killer.

"Still got some fight in ya, kid? Good, now I won't got bored."

The crowd cheered as I narrowly dodged blows from his axe. I took what shots I took, delivering a kick or two to the back of his legs. Finally, I landed a punch that at least dazed the scrapper, just enough for him to accidentally drop his axe. With what strength I had left, I took the axe and delivered a heavy blow to Yatsu's back, causing an agonized scream to fill the arena.

I could only stare, horrified and mystified by the writhing mess that was Yatsu. The last thread of self control snapped when I placed my foot on the back of the albino's head, and stomped. And stomped, and stomped, and stomped, and stomped, and stomped, and stomped until nothing but a puddle of blood and gore remained of the albino's head.

The rage and adrenaline died down when the crowd went wild. The heat was replaced by an overwhelming chill. I'd killed a man, for no better reason than cold blooded revenge. When the door leading out of the arena opened, I sprinted out, passing who I presumed to be the Ghouls who were to prepare the loser's body.

(Akane's POV)

I raced outside to find Arata, and saw in sitting at the edge of the sidewalk, sobbing. I sat beside him.

"Arata...Tenshi...are you okay?" I asked, immediately feeling the idiocy of the question.

"I killed him...I killed him...I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"You did what you had to. Just like with the Dove. If you didn't, you would've died."

"Is that any better than sinking to his level? I killed the Dove to protect you. I killed him to get revenge. It'd be better if I did die."

"Shut up! How do you think I'd feel if you died out there? If what was left of you was served to me on a silver goddamn plate? You killed him to protect yourself, and I'm thankful for that. But you should stop and think about the people that care about you before you talk about wanting to die. If you did, I'd be fucking devastated!" I screamed.

Then I saw it, something I never wanted to see in his eyes. Fear, genuine fear, was all that filled the dark emerald orbs fixated on me.

"I'm sorry...I just...you scared me...when you went out there...I was scared…"

"I'm sorry, Akane...I came out to try and protect you...heh, how pathetic am I?"

"Not at all. Now, let's get home. It's late."

I wasn't entirely surprised to find that coffee hadn't been made the next morning. In fact, given last night's events, I'd be surprised to see that Arata had made coffee. He didn't say a word the entire way home last night, aside from quiet apologies, directed either at me or his mother. Worried, I decided to check on him.

"Arata, I-" was all I could get out before I gagged at the sight of the man. His entire torso was dark with horrible bruises. His eyes were red with tears.

"Oh, sorry, Akane. I-I just had a rough night...is it bad that I don't feel anything anymore? I was expecting nightmares and possibly PTSD, but I don't feel bad anymore. I'm not sad about it anymore, but I'm not happy either. I just...don't care…"

"Considering what he's done, to you and plenty more, I wouldn't put it past you. Yatsu was a monster, and deserved what he got. I'm actually kinda proud. After all, you did the impossible: you shut Bozo up."

The redhead let out a chuckle, then sat with an apathetic glance at the floor.

"Akane...I want to be stronger...to protect you and myself in case you can't. I don't want to lose you. I've lost too much already, and I don't want to lose what little I still have. And if that means fighting more, then I'll do it. I just...I don't want to be faced with the possibility of losing you again."

"I don't want to lose you either. I've never actually loved anyone quite like I love you, and I might suck at being a girlfriend, but I know I don't want to see you die just because you thought you were too weak. A weak man couldn't kill a man like Yatsu. A weak man couldn't survive a Dismantling Show. You aren't weak. You've done both."

Arata sat silently, then laughed.

"Guess now you know my real name. Tenshi Yukikari...Christ, what was my mom thinking." He joked.

"Well, I like it." I giggled, kissing him on the cheek, "Tenshi...it's kinda cute."

"No, it's just cute the way you say it."


	8. Chapter 8

**_Hey, so, starting now, this might get a bit hard to read. Fair warning. Wait...I forgot about the gore warning in the summary. Oh well, just in case you ignored it. I own nothing. Enjoy._**

It was relatively quiet after that. Akane never got called by her dad, and most of the thoughts I've had about killing Yatsu had left in a puff of smoke. It was blissful, not worrying about anything.

I couldn't resist smiling, feeling the warmth of Akane's breath against my neck as she slept on top of me. It started as innocent cuddling, then Akane fell asleep. Akane's usual somewhat frilly lolita dresses were replaced by a simple red summer dress. Considering the heat of the summer popping up occasionally in the perfect climate of spring, I decided to retire my jacket.

Suddenly, Akane let out a little yawn that pulled me from my thoughts. Her eyes lazily opened as she looked up at me and grinned. Her dark eyes lit up a little, but still looked a tired sort of dark.

"Morning, Arata." She yawned.

"It's noon, Akane." I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her, "Though I'm not complaining."

"I don't care if it's not actually morning." She said with a pout, only to then kiss my nose.

"Does that mean I gotta make coffee?" I asked.

"Please?" She replied, doing the puppy eyes and baby voice that always destroys any sort of resistance I have.

I sighed and tried to get up, only to feel Akane refusing to move and let me off the couch.

"Akane, you gotta let me up if you want me to make you coffee." I explained.

"Can't. Too comfy." She muttered, muffled by her burying her face in my chest.

I moved her off of me and left for the kitchen. I opened the tin where Akane kept the ground-up beans, but it was empty.

"Akane, I'm going out for coffee. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." I said as I left.

(Akane's POV)

I smirked as I dashed up the stairs and into Arata's room. I had a plan, but I had to wait until he was gone to pull it off. Knowing how far he'd have to go to get more coffee, I knew I had plenty of time. I quickly shed the dress and put on one of Arata's old tank tops, along with a pair of his jeans. The scent of his skin was fresh on it, as if he was still wearing them.

"This'll surprise him when he comes home." I said, admiring my new look in the bathroom mirror.

Hours passed. First one, then two. Before I knew it, the evening sun sank and was replaced by a bright full moon. My eagerness turned into anger, then concern. ' _There has to be something wrong….Maybe Bozo got him...or the Doves...oh god…'_

I opened the front door, and found something that left me speechless. On the floor, covered with blood, was Arata's mask. I felt my heart in my throat when I read the note attached.

' _Hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd borrow your slave. Toodles, Sparrow_

 _~Bozo_

(Arata's POV)

I woke up to the scent of blood. I could only remember glimpses from before I blacked out. Walking to the little corner market, hearing a woman cry in an alley on the way home, then darkness.

"Akane!" I shouted, realizing what I was doing. Then my surroundings finally came to me. I was in a dark cell, sitting bound in a wooden chair. I growled when my captor turned on the lights, exposing himself in front in the bars of my cell, as well as the bodies in the others.

"Good morning, Tenshi. I hope you slept well. Then again, Chloroform is the best sleeping aid, right?" The clown said, cackling at his own joke.

"Why did you bring me here, fucker? Where am I, and where's Akane?!" I shouted.

"I'm borrowing you, Tenshi. After all, you are just property. By going out without your mistress, you just demonstrated that she doesn't care if someone else uses you. So, I took up the offer. As for why you're here, it's a 'two birds, one stone' situation. You killed my best scrapper just a few days ago, and I'm still pissed off. That being said, I also need a Scrapper to bring in customers. That's why you're here. To be my slave, to replace what you took from me."

Bozo opened the cell door and pulled a knife from the table behind him.

"Let's start with a little bit of scarification" The clown said with a another cackle.


	9. Chapter 9

**_So I'm finally back. Spring Break was lovely, but I think it's about time I got back to writing. I hope you're all enjoying this, because I love writing it. Anyway, I own nothing. Enjoy._**

I felt nothing but hatred for the man in the clown mask. I knew the Clowns didn't have a leader, but I knew that their members are incredibly close. Which is why I chose to "interrogate" one of their members. If he experienced the worst pain in his life and maybe died, who would give a fuck?

"Please, lady...just let me go…" The clown pleaded, his newly-regenerated jaw finally making his speech clear.

"Not until you tell me where that fuck Bozo is keeping Tenshi Yukikari." I demanded, severing a finger with my kagune. The Clown wailed in pain, almost making me want to rip off his jaw again.

"I-I don't know...please…j-just let me go…"

"Tell me where Bozo is with Tenshi, and I might let you live."

As the Clown begged for his life, I rummaged in his wallet. Then I found something that I could use to my advantage.

"Who's this girl, Ayato? She looks pretty. Is she human?" I asked, looking at a picture of him with a pretty blonde girl.

"Yes...please...don't hurt my daughter...do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt my Yoko…" The Ghoul wept.

"You really care about her, huh? Well I really care about Tenshi Yukikari. If you don't tell me what I wanna know, I could tell my friend about her. He _really_ likes blonde human girls. Maybe he can pay her a visit…"

"Ok, ok...I don't know where he is, but I do know where he might be. When he abducted Yatsu, he took him into some place he called The Blood Garden. He said he trains all his scrappers there. I don't know where it is, though."

Reluctantly, I unrestrained Ayato and allowed him to leave. Once he left, I got a text.

 _ **Hey, get anything out of The Clown I sent ya - SS**_

 _ **Yeah. You know about a place called The Blood Garden? Bozo apparently takes all of his new scrappers there. See what you can dig up -Sparrow**_

I smiled as I snapped my phone shut and put it in my pocket. ' _What I do without you, Sachiko.'_

With that, I fled from the abandoned building and back to the place I was "crashing in," as Arata would say: HySy.

"Welcome back, Akane. Find anything out?" Uta asked, not looking up from his sketch pad. Even with his recent sea of orders, he still looked as mellow as any guy his age would.

"Yeah. Arata might be held in some place called The Blood Garden. Apparently, that's where Bozo takes people to make them Scrappers."

"Wish I could help. But that place must've cropped up after I left. Maybe you can find someone who's in Bozo's inner circle. Someone who knows more about Bozo than any random Clown."

"Like one of his Scrappers!" I exclaimed, "He takes his Scrappers to The Blood Garden, right? I just gotta get one of his Scrappers, and I can find Arata!"

Uta looked up from his sketchpad and gave a little smile.

"Clever Akane. Very clever."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"Maybe."

(Arata's POV)

I spat up blood onto the cement floor. The Clown simply sat in his wooden chair, cackling as he watched me humiliate myself. In front of me was what was left of what Bozo threw into my cell to keep me from starving:a freshly slaughtered girl who was nearly torn to pieces. It tasted revolting, but the fact that I hadn't eaten in almost a week took control. At least, it felt like a week. With the only light being from the florescent lights that flickered just enough to annoy me, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed.

"I see you're having a bit of trouble dealing with the Ghoul diet. God, you're a weak one. I might as well just eat you, save me the trouble."

I growled and gripped the bars of my cell. I could feel her blood drip down the corners of my mouth.

"I'll kill you, you monster. I'll kill you, for me...for Mom...for everyone who's had their lives ruined by you!"

"That's a big promise, meat. You're promising something big to a lot of people, and you're gonna let 'em down. Nothing can kill me, squirt. Just ask Yatsu." Bozo chuckled, pulling a cracked bleached skull out.

"I was just an innocent school boy before I met Bozo." The clown said, moving the skull's jaw and talking in Yatsu's deep voice. "I complained about Mommy and Daddy liking their baby girl more than me, and told him I wished they'd pay attention to me! When I came home, everyone was dead, and the baby was smothered in her crib!"

"You sick fuck! I will kill you, you hear me?! I will fucking _end_ you!" I screamed, resulting in the cell door opening and Yatsu's skull being broken on my head.

"Unless you want your next meal to be that bitch Sparrow, you'll shut your goddamn mouth, you little shit!" Bozo yelled, kicking my ribs. "Now you've made me mad. Guess it's time you learned to shut your fucking trap."

My vision faded as the air was kicked from my lungs. I can't remember when I stopped crying, or when I blacked out. I just knew I desperately wanted someone to save me.

"God...kill...m-me" I stuttered before blacking out.


	10. Chapter 10

_So, in case anyone was wondering, this story will be ending in just a few more chapters. If anyone wants any sort of sequel, I set up a poll. Honestly, I would like to put out a sequel. Just lemme know if it's even worth putting out. I imagine there will be quite a bit of support for a new series. I own nothing in Tokyo Ghoul aside from my own characters. Enjoy._

' _ **Akane, you got a sec?' -SS**_

' _ **What's the issue?' - Sparrow**_

' _ **I think I found out where your boyfriend is.' SS**_

' _ **Go on.' - Sparrow**_

' _ **Bozo's unveiling a new scrapper tonight, and your dad got invited. He was about to check his schedule when he found out his name. "Snowbird."'-SS**_

' _ **That's gotta be Arata.'- Sparrow**_

I closed my phone and smiled at the Clown strapped into the wooden chair.

"It seems you're no longer of use." I said bluntly before severing the man's head.

On the way back, my phone rang. Unsurprisingly, it was Father. I quickly flipped the phone open and answered.

"Akane, dearest! How are you?" His booming voice greeted.

"Great, sir. How are you?"

"Fantastic. I just wanted to ask you for something. There's a scrapper unveiling at The 5th Ward restaurant, and I'm in Niseko with your mother. Would you mind going in my place? If you're busy, that's alright. I could just cut our anniversary short…"

"Don't worry about it, sir. I'll be there."

"Fantastic. You're mother says hi, by the way. Anyway, see you when we get back, dear!"

I hung up and smiled. ' _Tonight's the night I get Arata back.'_

"Oh, back already?" Uta asked, not looking away from the mask he was working on as I walked in. "Found out anything interesting out there?"

"I interrogated a guy who supplied Bozo with people for his shows, since I couldn't get into his restaurant to find one of his scrappers. But Sachiko did tell me that he's unveiling a new scrapper tonight, and my father was invited."

"Cool. I might just stop by. Seeing as you plan on killing possibly hundreds of possible S-Rank Ghouls, I doubt my assistance would be unwelcome."

"Well...thanks, Uta. Honestly, I didn't expect that from you."

"Bozo annoys the shit outta me. Might as well kill him." Uta said coldly, finally looking at me instead of the mask he's been working on for almost a week, since I told him of Arata's kidnapping. "You're still wearing his clothes?"

I looked down at what I was wearing and blushed. I was still wearing Arata's old black tank top and blue jeans. It was relatively loose, but not enough to expose more than it needed to. They were wrinkled from how often I slept in them and how scarcely I changed. I never took them off because the clothes still carried his scent, and it helped me keep from breaking down, from feeling like I've lost him forever.

"Uta, I'm gonna go change. The Revealing starts at 19:00, so get a mask ready. We're taking Arata back, and killing Bozo."

(Arata's POV)

I couldn't tell where I was, but I knew I wasn't in the cell. The scent of human blood was a lot stronger than it was in my cell. I was somewhere where a lot of people died, and relatively recently. Maybe I would be fortunate to meet the same fate.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you're ready to see a real glutton for punishment, because you're gonna get one hell of a show tonight. Here, in Bozo's Ghoul Restaurant, the unveiling of our newest Scrapper. Everyone, meet the one and only Snowbird! Now, for his first kill in my ring!"

The lights flashed fast enough to surprise me, blinding me for a second before I saw the person standing before me. She was young, looking no older than maybe twelve. I could see that she was terrified, speechless as tears ran down her cheeks from her pale blue eyes. Her lip quivered as she looked at what was lying between us: a gleaming, painful-looking knife. We both stood, silently eyeing the dagger.

"Kill the bitch before I come down there and kill you both!"

That line triggered something I really hoped was gone. The fire, the very same fire that lit inside me when I fought Yatsu, surged through my body. A little voice, I don't know whose, whispered in my head.

' _Kill'_

The world went white when I rushed and grabbed the blade. I heard the girl scream, and the world went red, and got redder every time I heard the gurgling of blood in her throat and the sound of the blade easily shredding through her tender flesh.

"You understand, don't you?! I have to do this! I don't want to do this, but I have to! I have to kill you...to see my Akane again...so please...forgive me…"

' _You're a monster now. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.'_

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'M DOING WHAT I HAVE TO DO!" I screamed out, my voice nearly muffled by the cheers from the Ghouls watching.

"Akane! Akane!" I screamed, looking desperately in the stands to see if she might be here. The spotlights made it hard to see, but I still kept searching. Finally, two clowns came up and took the body.

"Now that was a spectacular show, right? Let's get a couple more bleeders out there to-What the Hell?"

The shower of red crystals seemingly came from nowhere. Both Clowns were shredded into little bloody ribbons, and a few actually cut me, even though it was nowhere as severe as what the Clowns got. I fell into the gorey puddle of remain when I saw her, the figure of the woman who kept me from complete insanity.

"Akane, I-" I cried, cut off by hard punch to my lower back. I fell again, staring up at Akane as her ukaku splintered like shattering ice.

"How cute! Sparrow came to save her precious little toy. Too bad he's gonna die before you can even-"

Bozo let out the gurgle of blood in his throat as a splatter echoed out. I felt a warm, sticky rain fall on me.

"Sorry, I'm late. Did I miss anything fun?" Uta's voice questioned. "Wow, he's bleeding bad."

That's the last thing I heard before the pain from Bozo's punch caused me to black out.

(Akane's POV)

That night was the most stressful one of my life. Uta had me take Arata to a hospital in the 20th Ward. He'd be safe, seeing as he was human, but I was worried. Bozo had punched a hole in his back. If he didn't survive...I'd kill every Clown in Tokyo. It took every fiber of effort to try and get some sleep, but I managed it.

"Miss Suzume? Miss Suzume, wake up."

My eyes fluttered open to find an old man in a lab coat, smiling down at me. He reminded me of Yoshimura from Anteiku, in some strange way.

"You were the one to check in Mister Yukikari, correct?"

"You...You mean Arata? Yeah, I did. Is he okay?"

The doctor gave me a grim look.

"You see, that's just what I needed to talk to you about. He's alive, and gained consciousness just a few hours ago. It's just...we had to do something risky. Are you aware of Ghouls, Miss Suzume?"

I nodded, nervous about where he was going with the conversation.

"Well, a risky procedure has been developed to help people on the verge of death, like Mister Yukikari. We implanted several organs from a ghoul present in The 5th Ward Massacre last night. I hate to tell you this, but Mister Yukikari is no longer entirely human. I'm afraid he is now a half-Ghoul."

The news hit harder than I thought it would. ' _Arata...a half-Ghoul?'_ The thought was troubling, but it meant one thing to me: Arata is alive.

"Can I see him? If he's alive and well enough, I mean."

The doctor led me to Arata's room and knocked.

"I'm not buying anything...unless you have cookies!" He called from inside.

He let me in, and I smiled when I saw his eyes light up.

"Akane! Gah, fuck!" Arata called, but was silenced by some pain that caused him to reel back into bed.

"I'll be out, if you need me." The doctor said, closing the door behind him.

"Bozo...where is he? I'm gonna kill the fucker!"

"Relax, Arata. Uta killed him. Oh, and I brought something for you."

I reached into my bag and pulled out Arata's mask. I handed it to him, and he smiled as he looked over it.

"My mask. I thought Bozo had this destroyed. He did say something about that, when he...oh god…"

I quickly wrapped my arms around him as he began to cry.

"He did it to him, y'know. He made Yatsu...the way he was...a sociopath...I...I felt like I was about to lose it...when I killed that girl...I felt like a monster...like I wasn't me...I wanted to die when it came back to me. I felt like I wasn't even human anymore."

I tensed up. ' _Does he know?'_

"Have you eaten anything?"

"I tried. Everything tastes like shit now. The water went down fine, but when I tried to eat some soup the nurse brought in, I couldn't even swallow it."

"We'll see about getting you something to eat once you're able to leave."

"Akane...thank you. You saved me from becoming a monster, maybe worse than Yatsu. I love you, Akane. Please...don't leave me alone again."

"I won't. I promise."


	11. Chapter 11

_Well, it's been fun writing this story. But, all good things must come to an end. I love the support I got from everyone who's read this, favorited it, followed it, reviewed it. Thank all of you for reading my bad fanfiction. Anyway, please enjoy the final chapter. I own nothing but my own characters._

It wasn't too long after Akane's visit that I was given permission to leave. Despite the little bouts of pain every now and again, I felt fine. Although I wasn't able to eat anything after the operation.

"Ok, open your eyes, Arata."

I did as I was told, and saw something I'd never expect. Standing before me was Akane, dressed in my favorite black tank top and a pair of my jeans. She wore an expression I could only describe as seductive.

"I'll take your drooling as a compliment, dear." She giggled.

"You're gonna be the death of me. Still, it's great to be back. Wish I could finally eat something, though." I said.

"Arata, eat this." Akane said bluntly. I turned, and a little piece of meat was pressed against my lips. The delectable scent of the meat coupled with Akane's scent was enough to overwhelm me. Akane put the meat in my mouth, and I felt something rush over me when the taste hit my tongue. It was as if it was meat from the gods. But then I noticed something. In her other hand was an open package from Anteiku.

"Akane...i-is that…" I asked, and Akane replied with a nod.

"What the Hell….What the Hell is wrong with me? I just ate human flesh! And it tasted...heavenly.." I stuttered, questioning what remained of my sanity

"Arata...the doctor gave you a kakuhou to help you heal, and it changed you. You're not human anymore, at least not entirely. I would've told you sooner, but I didn't know if it'd do more harm than good.

(Akane's POV)

I was expecting anger, or even depression. But I was thrown off when I heard Arata start laughing.

"It's alright, Akane. It just means we have more in common. And I can do better when it comes to protecting you. That's all that really matters anyway."

"Try to bring out your kagune." I suggested.

Arata closed his eyes, and a red mist rose from behind him. A large red tendril came from his lower back, and grew a good length before it ended with a spear-like point. It swayed as if it had a mind of it's own.

"Well, this is certainly a new feeling." Arata commented, looking back at his kagune.

"It's a Bikaku. You got lucky. The Bikaku RC type is arguably the best in combat. No notable weaknesses, and no notable strengths. Perfect balance."

"Maybe I can test it out sometime. If only Bozo was still alive, so I could kill him."

"Maybe, if Doves start invading the 12th Ward like they're doing with the 20th." I murmured.

Akane...I kinda want to leave Tokyo. I mean, we'll always be hunted if we stay. We could leave Tokyo, to avoid getting killed by Doves. To avoid getting kidnapped again. To avoid the constant fear that...I might lose you…"

"We'll be safe in Osaka. I know a handful of Ghouls that live there. It's not as populated as Tokyo when it comes to Ghouls, but maybe that's for the best."

"So long as I don't lose you, I couldn't care less about where we go."

(Arata's POV)

The horrors of Tokyo were just a bad memory that we both desperately wanted to forget. Osaka wasn't anything like Tokyo, in my opinion. Osaka carried a sort of modern feeling, and kept a nice small-town warmth. We'd only been in Osaka for a few days, and it already felt like home. We stayed with Akane's aunt, Sachiko, who was certainly nicer than Akane gave her credit for.

I sat in my bed, as Sachiko insisted we had separate rooms while we stayed with her. I heard a knock on my door, followed by Sachiko walking in. She looked incredibly similar to Akane. The only difference, despite the obvious ageing, is the steel color of her eyes. She was definitely older, but time had certainly treated her well. She was wearing her usual torn-up jeans and baggy T-shirt.

"Hey, kid. Ya got a sec?" She asked.

I nodded, and she took a seat next to me.

"Look, I understand you love my niece, but let's get one thing straight. Her dad, Ichiro, won't be too fond of her dating a One-Eyed Ghoul. You seem like an ok guy, but my brother won't care. He'll see you a stain on his perfect family tree, and do anything he can to keep his precious family tree safe. His goddamn sparrow bloodline is why he shut me out, saying someone with a clumsy Koukaku has no place with Ghouls of grace. If the fucker didn't mean so much to Akane, I'd kill him. I just want you to know that, no matter what, you can't reveal yourself to Ichiro. Keep your love a secret from him."

"He'll never know. I never want to lose Akane again. Did she ever tell you about what happened? The weeks of torture? When I became a scrapper?"

"She never gave me the specifics, but I did help her out in finding you. Ichiro hates it, but I snoop around to check on my big brother. Anyway, what about it?"

"I felt like...like I'd lost everything. The second I picked up the knife, I lost what little of me remained. I turned into the monster that killed my mom, and the monster that killed the monster. At that point, Akane was all I had left."

"Arata...I want you to make me a promise. It's obvious that you love Akane, but would you ever consider making a life with her?"

{The next day}

Sachiko really was nicer than Akane would ever give her credit for. She gave me a red heart-shaped box with a golden band inside. I'd thought about doing what we had planned for a while, but I never thought I'd be able to put into action. I just hoped it'd go as planned.

"Osaka is lovely, wouldn't you say, Arata?" Akane asked.

Apparently, Akane noticed that we'd never actually gone out on any sort of date. She saw our new life in Osaka as a perfect time to explore somewhere neither of us had really seen. Akane wore a short black dress, and had her hair tied up in a ponytail. I just wore a plain white shirt and a pair of black jean shorts.

"Yeah. It's like a nicer Tokyo." I replied.

We spent a while just looking around, enjoying our new city. It was quiet and peaceful until we came across two street performers on the sidewalk. One strummed an acoustic guitar while the other sang a soft tune I could hardly pick up. Akane and I both looked at each other and began to slow dance to the romantic song neither of us knew.

"This is fun. I wanna do this all the time." Akane whispered, snaking her arms around my neck.

"That can be arranged." I replied, unable to look away from the beautiful hazel eyes I fell in love with.

I took a chance, and I felt like an idiot for doing it right in the middle of the duo's song.

"Akane, I love you. You've brought me from Hell, on more than one occasion, and treated me with a kindness I thought I'd never see. It's been a crazy time, but I think we shouldn't be just boyfriend and girlfriend anymore."

I paused, hurt by the brief look of confusion and pain in her eyes before falling to one knee and pulling out the box.

"I think we should be husband and wife." I said, blushing from the performers song coming to a screeching halt.

I felt my heart pound as her eyes filled with tears.

"Yes. Yes, you fucking idiot, yes!"


End file.
